Place de la Bastille

The Bastille fortress is known to many as a symbol of the French revolution. Its storming on July 14, 1789, demonstrated that the French revolutionaries were serious about freeing themselves from the yoke of royal rule. This event is so important to French history that every 14th July, French citizens celebrate their national holiday on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille.
Although there are barely any traces of the original Bastille fortress, visitors can nonetheless visit the Place de la Bastille, where they will find a commemorative monument called the July Column in the spot where the Bastille once stood. Moreover, some of the original prison stones can be seen in the Bastille metro station.
In addition to being the location of an event that was so essential to the history of France, the neighbourhood surrounding the Place de la Bastille also offers a fun spot to discover Parisian life by day and by night. Located nearby is the Opéra de Bastille which, along with the Opéra Garnier, forms part of the celebrated Opéra de Paris. Various operas, concerts and other musical performances are a regular occurrence, providing a wonderful opportunity to see world-class productions.
At night, the Bastille neighborhood comes to life, as the area's many restaurants and bars buzz with activity. Visitors can wander around and discover a wide variety of cuisines and atmospheres, especially on the Rue de la Roquette and the Rue de Lappe. Along with the restaurants and bars, the neighborhood also has many small local shops, giving visitors a real sense of Parisian life.